


Atlas and the Anathema

by Damceon



Series: Character Backstories [7]
Category: Gamer Fiction
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-22
Updated: 2020-03-22
Packaged: 2021-03-01 00:20:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 438
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23256076
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Damceon/pseuds/Damceon
Summary: Atlas was a Minotaur, born of earth (Shadowrun) and transported to Faerun (D&D 3rd).  He was always bull-headed and trying to reshape magic with his bare hands.
Series: Character Backstories [7]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1672036





	Atlas and the Anathema

The Anathema was massive, looming over Atlas the way Atlas usually towered over his humanoid friends… The air was alive with mana. Atlas could smell it, the energies were so pervasive. He could taste the static tingle on his tongue and could feel the hair on his body rising in anticipation.

“Alright, then… Let’s see what you’ve got.” Atlas set his jaw and clenched his fists, waiting for the mammoth serpentine monstrosity to make its first move.

“Run! Run!” Someone was shouting, but Atlas remained absolutely focused. Heartbeats measured the time, but to Atlas if felt like a small eternity.

The first tendrils of the Weave became visible as the Anathema began to cast its spell, and Atlas reacted instantly.

_Too much._ The thought blinked through his mind as he grasped hold of the Weave and twisted the heavy cables of magical energy only he could see.

Immediately, the cables swelled, growing barbs and digging into Atlas’ arms, swirling around the Anathema and knitting a dazzling pattern between the two. Atlas screamed in pain, but knew he could not let go. He had to maintain control of the spell if he had any hope of turning it against its caster.

_If I could…_ but ten-thousand possibilities swarmed through his mind and he felt his grip begin to fail. _NO! Not yet… they still need me!_

The world was spinning in a dizzy array of blue, purple, pink and white light as the weave slowly materialized in the physical plane around them. Lightning crashed outward from them, the breath of a hurricane and the blood of a volcano spewed from the masses of woven light that twisted and cavorted around Atlas and the Anathema.

“WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?!” Voice of Mystra’s Avatar could be heard just above the din as the figure appeared.

_NO!_ Atlas drove himself further, remembering a moment like this almost a lifetime ago… _I have to hold… if I dig just a little deeper, I can…_

The shockwave bludgeoned the buildings, threatening to topple the dilapidated ruins as Atlas fought to maintain control… the Avatar lashed out, but the Weave itself around Atlas was under his sway and the spell added to the tangled web of energy that tore at Atlas’ flesh and seared away all his fur.

_“Do you remember Earth?”_ Atlas could hear the distant, soft voice of Arthur Prescott in his mind… the only clear thing in a world of pain as he struggled, his body weakening from the strain. _“Such a beautiful world, is it not?”_

_Never… let… go…_ Atlas felt the tendrils of light thicken and rip into his body.


End file.
